Two people were killed and dozens injured after clashes between demonstrators and security forces in al-Khalani Square in central Baghdad, where a large number of demonstrators rallied in the demonstrations called "Juma al-Samoud". For its part, the religious authority in Iraq has stepped up its tone, affirming its support for the protests in the country, stressing that it will constitute a major turning point in the general situation.
In detail, witnesses said that «security forces clashed with the demonstrators, which were crowded Alkhalani and Tahrir Square yesterday afternoon, after the end of Friday sermon where tear gas was used, killing two protesters and wounding more than 35 others, some of them critical. The witnesses said that «security forces dealt with harsh demonstrators, while the reign of hit-and-run between the demonstrators and security forces».
Calm prevailed yesterday evening, in Al-Khulani Square fortified with concrete blocks separating the security forces towards Al-Senak Bridge and Al-Gomhouria Street, while the demonstrators were separated towards Tahrir Square.
The Iraqi cities lived yesterday, a new day of protests under the title «Friday of steadfastness», after a night in which a demonstrator was killed and 40 others wounded, during clashes in central Baghdad, according to Iraqi sources.
Hundreds of Iraqis flocked to the streets to take part in demonstrations and popular sit-ins that have been going on for 22 days, carrying Iraqi flags.
Security forces, reinforced by military vehicles, were deployed on all streets leading to the demonstration yards and in the vicinity of government buildings and banks.
Video clips posted on the websites showed that a number of angry demonstrators dropped a concrete wall placed in al-Khalani Square in order to hinder the protesters' progress. Security forces reportedly fired tear gas.
In this context, the source explained the occurrence of fleeing between the demonstrators and security in Baghdad, and also witnessed several Iraqi areas of large numbers of demonstrators.
The source pointed out that most of the casualties in Baghdad were limited to cases of suffocation due to tear gas.
Calls had previously been made to mobilize large numbers in what was termed "Juma al-Samoud" in Baghdad and other Iraqi areas.
In a sermon Friday, the religious authority in Iraq, Ali al-Sistani, that the protests in the country will be a major turning point, more than a month and a half after the start of demonstrations calling for the "overthrow" the regime in Baghdad and several southern cities.
Sistani said in his sermon read by his representative Ahmed al-Safi in Karbala, the highest tone since the protests began:
"The pre-demonstrations are not the same as after them," he said. "If those who have power think they can evade the real benefits of reform by procrastination, they are delusional."
He stressed: «Iraq will not be after these protests as it was before in any case, let them be aware of that».
Sistani also renewed support for the protests in Iraq, stressing the commitment to its peacefulness, and demanded that any perpetrator of violence in Iraq be held accountable and said: «the lack of serious measures to prosecute the corrupt raises doubts about the ability of Iraqi political forces to implement the demands of the demonstrators».
He condemned the "attack on Iraqi demonstrators by killing, kidnapping or intimidation, and attacks on security forces and public and private property."
He called for the need to speed up the adoption of a fair electoral law, which restores the confidence of citizens in the electoral process, and does not bias the parties and political currents.
He pointed out that «external interventions portend turning Iraq into an arena for conflict and settling scores between international and regional powers».
He continued: «may not allow any outside party to interfere in the internal reform battle waged by the Iraqi people».
Sistani stressed that «citizens did not go out to the demonstrations calling for reform in this unprecedented image and did not continue throughout this period with all the heavy price and sacrifices required, but because they have found no other way to get rid of corruption».
He considered that corruption in the country is exacerbated «by the consensus of the ruling powers to make the homelands shared between them, and tolerate some of the corruption of others».
The United Nations is seeking to be the godmother of the solution to the Iraqi crisis, by drawing up a road map and meeting with the religious authority in Iraq, last Monday, after the political parties in the country, through the intervention of Iran, an agreement on the survival of the regime.
Demonstrators and civil society organizations are demanding an immediate investigation into who imported or supplied Iraqi security forces with tear gas, after Iraq's defense minister said the government was not the importer of the deadly type of bomb.
Sistani:
“The protests in the country will be formed
A big turn, and that pre-demonstrations is not
As after. ”